County transfers $13M in water, sewer lines to city

COSHOCTON – Local leaders have officially transferred ownership of $13 million in water and sewer lines and equipment from the county to the city after talking about it for more than a decade.

Coshocton County Commissioner Dane Shryock and Mayor Steve Mercer on Wednesday signed a contract allowing that transfer. The city will now pick up more than $2 million in debt for water and sewer lines and equipment serving roughly 420 customers north of city limits.

The county installed those water and sewer lines years ago, but had no treatment plants and no means to pay for building them. That left the city providing those customers with water and sanitary services through a contract with the county, using the county lines and equipment and the city’s treatment plants.

For years, county and city officials talked about finding a better way to serve those customers. The current officeholders believe Wednesday’s transfer provides that solution.

“We thought it best to either go with privatization or give it over to the city,” Shryock said.

“It’s a win-win for the county and the citizens and the businesses that are tapped into our system,” Mercer said.

“It eliminates the duplication of tap fees and monthly debt retirement charges,” Commissioner Gary Fischer said. “It makes it more efficient. The provider of the service now owns the infrastructure.”